aerial photography from a C152/172?
 

It's been a long time since I've flown a Cessna. Can anyone jog my memory as to whether the window on the pax side can be latched open in flight?

I need to photograph a mate's house nr to Petersfield (just to the east of the Solent CTA). Does anyone know if there are any C152/172 available for hire in the area, preferably out of Bournemouth.

Cheers, 4HK

Seem to recall that the stay would hold the both windows open on a C152 up to about 60kts. Can't remember the exact speed limit as the only time I've done it was when my instructor was teaching me slow flying many moons ago.
A friend of mine used to do aerial photography for a living in a C150 and he used to detach the window stay and then let the airflow hold the window against the underside of the wing at a more comfortable 80 to 85 kts.

Agree with Camaro. I'm currently flying a C150 for photo surveys and the pax window holds itself open nicely at around 70kts after it's been unlatched whilst the photographer does his funky stuff. Terrible way to have to make a living - 800' round and round your 'target'.;) :D :D

Camaro - where did your mate used to work?

Pretty much all of the Cessna singles use a similar mechanism for the window support arm and, if the support is disconnected, aerodynamic loads will hold the window fully open.

Something to note when disconnecting the support arm: There's a spring mechanism that attaches to one end of the support arm. Can't remember if it's inside the window frame or inside the door.

Whichever location it is, you're better off disconnecting the other end of the support arm ie the end that pivots around a screw and the not the end that connects to the spring. Use some sticky tape to restrain the now free swinging arm.

If you remove the screw from the spring end the spring retracts/falls back into the frame & is a pain to re-attach.

Is this technique of having the window up against the underside of the wing actually safe? I haven't heard of many people doing it (although I did once).

Thoughts of windows detaching and hitting tailplane.

Or am I being paranoid? :uhoh:

Eyes,

The opening windows would not have been certified if considered unsafe by the certifying authorities.

Tinstaafl,
:ok: I would say "pain" is understating

Cheers,

Yeah. Probably more accurate to describe it as another fine product from the design house of 'B@stards Incorporated'! :p

Witchdoctor

I'll have to ask my mate next time I see him but I think the name of the company he worked for was Skyviews and he was based at Carlisle in the late eighties/early nineties. I do remember that his Boss' name was Bill and he used to drive a really nice Lancia Delta Integrale!:cool:

Camaro

Heh Heh!

Camaro,

Said Bill is my boss too, now running his own company out of Carlisle and driving a 400bhp Porsche 911!!!:ok:

Witchdoctor

In that case, Bill will definitely remember my mate, Nick - they used to share the same house in Haltwhistle!

C152 C172 photo window
 

Am used to running C150 with window held open by airflow for air to air and works well. I suspect 172 is similar. I have a feeling that some of the larger Cessnas do not have opening windows on pax side so shooting through the closed window is the only option.

Last time I was up was in a 206 - the front window on the right hinged open upwards but pilot and owner weren't happy about removing the stay and unconvinced it would stay up in the airflow without being ripped off (hell, fair enough - I'd probably be the same if it was my a/c!) - so we made do with the left side, which had a small sliding portion of the front window, could just about shoot through the open bit but it was tricky and angles were limited.

If there's a next time with that aircraft word was that either the right window comes off or the opening part of the left window has its rear stop removed so it can be slid completely out rather than just back a few inches.

The support arm isn't structural. It's a mechanism to hold the window open on the ground/low speed, and stop the window opening all the way at higher speed.

Check the manual for the a/c. You'll find most Cessna singles specify the max window opening speed to be Vne (possibly Vno for the very fast types eg C210. Can't remember).

As I mentioned before, the most awkward part is making sure you don't detach the end of support arm that connects to the spring. A real b@stard to attach again because the spring disappears into the window's frame. The design must have been outsourced to B@stard's Inc.